Panelling support structure



MafCh 23, 1955 M. A. BERMAN ETAL PANELLING SUPPORT STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Apri 16, 1962 ,WH HHMWIHIJIiNHH W Mardi 23, 1965 M. A. BERMAN ETAL 3,174,592

PANELLING SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Apri 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,l7d,592 PANELLMG SUPPURT STRUCTURE Marvin A. Berman, Highland Park, and Albert Mayer, Cicero, lill., assigner-s to Capitol Hardware Mfg. Co., lne., Chicago, lil., a corporation of illinois Filed Apr. lo, w62, Ser. No. 187,766 12 Claims. (Cl. 139-34) This invention relates to structures for supporting and maintaining panels or the like in an upright position. ln its more particular aspects, this invention relates to improved retaining or holding assemblies, more commonly referred to in the trade as panel clips, which in combination with slotted vertical supporting elements or standards provide means for erecting either single or double panelled partitions, walls, or the like.

The utilization of slotted standards in the construction of shelving, display stands, partitions, walls, and the like, for commercial and household applications provides a convenient and efficient means for attaining a desired effect in the shortest possible time and at a minimum cost. The ease with which such support elements can be varied in length, their lightweight yet durable character, and their portability and maneuverability have, in addition to the important time and cost factors involved, contributed to their widespread use.

In numerous instances, slotted standards not only serve as support elements for brackets for shelving or hang rods, for example, but for backing panels as well. Standards utilized for such purposes, especially in the erection of partitions or Wall constructions subject to appreciable stresses, are sometimes provided with indentations or channels on one or both sides of each standard and extending along the entire length thereof. Customarily, these standards are first anchored in place and the panels then installed by inserting them into the top of the channels and lowering them into position. The dimensions of the panels may be such that they become unwieldy when they are required to be guided into the tops of the channels as the panels are lowered into position. The awkward nature of such a maneuver, especially in structures of considerable height, acts to slow the performance rate of the installer.

ln panelled structures such as display stands, for eX- ample, where the strength characteristics provided by such indented or channeled standards are not usually required, panelling may be conveniently supported between the standards by means of panel clips. Such clips have been adapted to engage with the bracket slots in the front face of the standards, where they occupy slots which otherwise could be used for receiving support brackets. The clips are generally fastened to the panel with a screw, the panel having been pre-drilled to accommodate the screw at the point of fastening.

Although channel carrying standards and panel clips of the screw on type function satisfactorily to provide support for panels in constructions where they find utility, there are certain disadvantages in their use, fromthe standpoint of time expended, convenience, and efficient utilization of the bracket receiving slots.

lt is an object of this invention to provide improved panel clip assemblies which, in combination with suitably slotted simple rectangular standards, enable panelling to be erected and installed without the need for dropping the panels into channels as in the case of the channeled standards described above.

Itis also an object of this invention to provide improved panel clip assemblies as just described which, in combination with suitable slotted Support elements or standards, permit either single or double walled structures to be erected with a minimum of effort and time.

,. ICC

It is another object of this invention to provide improved panel clip assemblies as above described which can be readily and easily attached at one or more points on a suitably slotted support element or standard without occupying any of the bracket receiving slots therein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide improved panel clip assemblies as above described which are simple in construction and inexpensive to use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Briefly, in accordance with one aspect of this invention there is provided in combination with a pair of slotted substantially vertical support elements or standards adapted to support a panel or the like therebetween, panel clip assemblies attached to each of the vertical support elements and each most preferably comprising a iirst panel support member and a cooperating second panel retainer member, the first member engaging with its associated vertical element at a point on the side thereof and providing a supporting surface for one surface of the panel, the second member most preferably releasably interlocking with the first member and providing a cooperating opposed supporting surface for the other surface of the panel, The second member of each clip assembly is inserted in place after the panel has been positioned against the supporting surface of the iirst member. In the preferred form of the invention, the support surface of the first member engages the rear or inner face of the panel where the standards are to be mounted against or near the Wall of a room. In any event, the panel may obscure the first member of each clip assembly from view, making it ditlicult for the installer to interlock the second member of each clip assembly with the rst member. To alleviate this problem, the iirst member is provided with a portion which extends to the visible face of the panel.

ln accordance with another aspect of this invention, each clip assembly is adapted to support two spaced panels in spaced back to back relation. To this end each clip assembly comprises a rst panel spacing member and a pair of cooperating panel retaining members, the spacing member engaging with its associated vertical element and providing a pair of spaced supporting surfaces for the inner surfaces of the panels, the panel retaining members providing a cooperating opposed supporting surface for the corresponding outer surfaces of said panels when anchored in position with respect to the spacing member.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the specification to follow, the claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FlG. l is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the panelling support structure of this invention showing slielvin mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a View in perspective illustrating in detail one embodiment of a clip or holding assembly of this invention in relation to a support element or standard and panelling;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 2;

FlG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 2;

FlG. 5 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a clip or holding assembly of this invention with one member thereof partly broken away to illustrate details thereof; Y

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of another embodiment of this invention showing a double walled partition or the like construction;

FIG. '7 is a view in perspective illustrating in detail an embodiment of a clip or holding assembly of this invention having utility in the construction shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front view in elevation of the embodiment of the clip or holding assembly illustrated Vin FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top Aplan view of'the embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 7; and

FIG. l() is an exploded view of the components of an embodiment of a clip or holding assembly of this invention having utility in the construction illustrated in FIG. 6.

Referring now in particular to FIG. 1V of the drawings, there is illustrated a typical panelling or wall structure, designated generally at? 10, utilizing the apparatus of this invention. The structurel() comprises panels 11 of any suitable design and composition supported between substantially vertical support elements or standards 12, on each of which is positioned means for maintainingthe panels in an upright state, said means comprising panel clip or holding assemblies, designated at 13. The standards 12 may be provided with a plurality of slots 14 of conventional size vadapted to receive single knife brackets 15 which serve to support, for example, shelving 16.

In achieving the objectives of this invention, and as more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the standards 12 advantageously are provided with side slots 17 for engaging with holding assemblies 13. The position and number of the slots 17 placed in the standards 12 may vary considerably. Generally speaking, it is desirable to space them from one another in a manner and in such numbers to accommodate two or more holding assemblies 13 thereby to provide adequate support for panels, or the like, of substantially any dimensions.

Each of the holding assemblies 13, adapted to engave with the slots 17, desirably comprise a vertical support Velement or standard engaging first member 20 and a cooperating interlocking second member 21. The member 20 of the illustrated embodiment of the assembly 13 in turn, preferably is composed of a shorter hookilike portion 22 for engaging with a slot 17 in a standard 12, and a longer portion 23 disposed at substantially a right angle to the portion 22 and providing a supporting surface for a panel 11, or the like.

The construction of the member 20 advantageously is such that when a panel is abutted against the longer portion 23 thereof, the edge of the panel adjacent the standard 12 will be spaced therefrom by the hook-like portion 22,Aand the forward edge of the portion 22 will be readily and clearly visible to theinstaller. These objectives may be achieved, as illustrated in FIG. 4, by providing the hook-like portion 22 with a forwardly directed extension 22', thereby giving the portion 22 an overall width greater than the thickness of the panel 11.

The cooperating or second member 21 of a typical assembly 13 similarly desirably is composed of a short,

hook-like, first member engaging portion 24 and a longer' portion 25 disposed at substantially a right angle to the portion 24 and providing a panel 11, or the like, support-Y ing surface, opposed to the surface provided by the angularly disposed portion 23 of the member'20. The portion 25 -of the second member 21 further is advantageously provided with an angularly disposed extremity 26 which serves to facilitate manipulation of the member V21 in anchoring it in, or dislodging it from, its operative posi-y tion with relation to the iirst member 20.

The assembly 13, in combination with two or more vertical support element for standards 12, is particularly suitable for erecting single panelled structures such as is illustrated in FIG.V l, and designated generally atA 10. In utilizing the apparatus of this invention in this type of construction, the vertical support elements or standards 12 preferably are first secured in a desired location on a iloor, wall, display stand base, or the like, and the hook-like portion 22 of the member 20 of the assembly'13 is then inserted in and engaged with the side slots 17 in the standards 12. A panel 11, of suitable dimensions, is next supported against the portion 23 of the member 2G and the cooperating member 21 anchored in place with relation to the member 20- by means of hook-like portion 24 thereof.

The relationship of the first member 20' and the cooperating second member 21 when in this interlocking operative position is clearly illustrated in the drawings, particularly FIG. 4.

The positioning of the hook-like portion 24 of the member 21 on the member 24E is facilitated by the fact that the portion 22 provides suflcient space between the edge of the panel 11 and the wall of the standard 12 to readily accommodate the portion 24, and by the fact that the extension 22' of the hook-like portion 22 thereof extends forwardly a sufficient Vdistance to enable it to be clearly visible to the installer when the panel 11 is supported against the portion 23 of the member 2t). The location of the member 20 on the side of support element 12, therefore, is quickly and readily asccrtainable and the locking in of the panelling can proceed easily, efficiently and unerringly.

In the event that it is desired to erect `a doubled panelled partition, wall, display stand, or the like, such as is shown in FIG. 6, the embodiment of this invention illustrated in detail in FIGS. 7 through 10 may be employed to great advantage. Typically, such a double panelled structure, generally designated at`30 in FIG. 6, comprises one or more substantially vertical support elements or standards V31 retaining in an upright position panels 32, or the like, in cooperation with means such as panel clip or holding assemblies 33. The 'standards 31, like the standards 12, are provided with bracket slots 34 and differ from conventional apparatus of this type only in that they are provided with two or more side slots 35 adapted to support the holding assemblies 33.

Each of the assemblies 33 desirably comprises a spacing member 36 and two cooperating retaining members 37 and 38. Engagement of the spacing member 36 with a standard 31 is advantageously achieved by providing the member 36 with hook-like extensions or arms 39-39 which may be conveniently struck from the member 36 and thereby m-ade integral therewith. 'The member 36 is further provided with a panel spacing or web portion 40 having a reduced area or neck 41, formed during the striking of arms 39-39, and panel support surfaces 42-42 .and 43-43 each of which surfaces is disposed at substantiallya right angle to web portion 40. An added signilicant feature of the member 36 is the provision of extensionsV or guides 4dr-44 disposed at substantially a right 'angleto the upper one ofthe surfaces comprising surfaces 42-42 and 43-43 iny they preferred embodiment illustrated. The guides 44-44 desirably are Yof a length greater than the thickness of the panels 32 to render them visible to the installer, and to permit them to serve as spacing elements between the edge of the panels and the standardV to enable the retaining members 37 and 38 to be anchored into position.

Referring now in particular to FIG. l0, the retaining members 37 and 3S are advantageously provided ywith a hook-like, spacing member engaging portions 46'-46 and panel supporting portions lA17- 47, the latter serving to present cooperating opposed surfaces to surfaces 42-42 and 43-43 of the spacing member 36. The hook-like portions 46-46 are machined in a manner to permit them to snugly engage with theV arms 39-39, this operation imparting a stepped or notched appearance to the portions 46-46 as clearly shown. The portion 47-47 of the retaining members 37 and 38 form a substantially right angle with the portion 46-46 thereof, and desirably is provided' with an angularly disposed extremity 48-48 to facilitate installation and removal of the members 37 and 3S with respect to the spacing member 36.

In utilizing the assemblies 33 in the erection of double walled lstructures such as is illustrated in FIG. 6, and designated generally at 30, the standards 31 preferably are Vfirst anchored in a desired location on la oor, wall, display stand base, or the like, and thespacing members 36 are positioned in the side slots 35 thereof. The panels 32 are then supported against the surfaces 42--42 and 43-43 of the member V36 and the cooperating retaining members 37 and 38 are anchored in place with relation thereto by means of hook-like portions 46-46. Rapid and facile positioning of the retaining members 37 and 33 is made possible by guides id-d4, a portion of which is visible after the panels 32 are abutted against surfaces t2-42 and i3-43. In inserting the members 37 and 3S into place, the upper edge of the hook-like portions dii-46 thereof is abutted against the lower edge of the guides Kid-44;- and the members 37 and 3S are then slid therealong through the space between the panel edge and the standard provided by the guides. The provision of such means eliminates any need on the part of the installer for searching for the situs of the arms .d-E9, and greatly expedites `the installation of the panelling.

Utilization of the assemblies 33 enable double walled structures to be constructed with a minimum of effort and with a minimum expenditure of time. The inner surfaces of the panels are simply supported against the spacing members 36 and positively locked in position as hereinabove described, the operation proceeding in a manner suggestive of the method by which wall or floor tile is applied.

Apart from the important savings in labor and time afforded by the utilization of this embodiment of the invention, an 1added significant advantage in its use results from the fact that whereas in certain instances, heretofore, it was necessary, in providing sufficient spacing between the panels of a double walled structure, to use standards of greater width, or two channeled standards back to back, proper Spacing can now be attained with a single, suitably slotted standard of conventional size. It follows from this, therefore, that an important reduction in material costs is realized with the apparatus of this invention when it is employed in erecting such structures.

The embodiments of this invention provide efficient, inexpensive and positive means for erecting either Single or double panelied structures of substantially any dimensions and conguration, and while they have been described with reference to specific structural features, various 4modifications therein will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art and may be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of the broader aspects of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a panel support structure including a pair of spaced substantially vertical elements having vertically spaced slots in the sides thereof and an upright panel between said elements, the improvement comprising: panel holding assemblies on said elements each comprising a iirSt member and a cooperating second member, said lirst member having projecting iinger means engaging with its associated verticai element through a selected one of said slots so as to be supportable at any one of a number of seiected elevations thereon, the tirst member further having a supporting surface for the rear surface of the panel, said second member having an opposed supporting surface for the front surface of the panel and being releasably interlocked with said iirst member, a portion of said first member extending to a point contiguous to the outer face of the panel where it is visible to the installer to facilitate interlocking of said second member with said first member.

2. In a panel support structure including a pair of spaced substantially vertical elements having slots in the sides thereof and an upright panel between said elements, the improvement comprising: panel holding assemblies on said elements each comprising a first member and a cooperating second member, said iirst member having a hook-like slot engaging portion for engaging with the defining walls of one of the slots of a vertical element and a panel supporting portion 4for supporting the rear of a panel extending between said vertical elements, said second member having a hook-like first member engaging portion extending rearwardly and transversely with respect to said hook-like slot engaging portion of said first member and interlocking with said first member by a movement -of said second member downwardly into engagement with said iirst member, said second member further having a panel supporting portion in spaced confronting relation to the panel supporting portion of said first member for holding the panel in place.

3. A panel holdin Y assembly adapted for use with laterally slotted, substantially vertical panel supporting elements, the panel holding assembly comprising: a rst member and a cooperating second member, the first member having a laterally projecting hook-like slot engaging portion for engaging with the defining edges of a slot of one of said elements, said first member further having a vertical panel supporting portion for supporting the inner surface of a vertical panel extending between a pair of said vertical elements, said second member having a hook-like iirst member engaging portion projecting rearwardly and transversely of said laterally projecting hook-like slot engaging portion of said lirst member and interlocking with said hook-like portion with downward movement thereof in a vertical plane transverse to said panel, said second member further having a vertical panel supporting portion positioned in spaced confronting relation to the panel supporting portion of said first member when attached thereto, to hold the vertical panel in place.

4. ln a panel support structure including a pair of spaced substantially vertical elements having vertically spaced slots in the sides thereof and an upright panel extending between said elements, the improvement comprising: panel holding assemblies on said elements, each comprising a first member and a cooperating second member, said first member having laterally projecting means adapted to enter a selected one of the slots on the sides of a vertical element and to engage with the same for supporting the first member at any one of a number of different elevations thereon, said first member further having a support surface for the rear surface of said panel, said second member having a projecting means extending transversely of said projecting means of said iirst member for making interlocking engagement with the rst member when the second member is moved in a vertical plane extending at right angles to said panel, and said iirst member having a portion extending to a point contiguous to the outer face of said panel Where it is visible to the installer to locate the elevation of said iirst member when covered by said lirst panel and to facilitate interlocking of said second member with said first member.

5. A panel holding assembly adapted for use in connection with slotted substantially vertical panel supporting standards comprising a first member and a cooperating second member, said first member having two portions of unequal length disposed at substantially a right angle to one another, the shorter of said portions being provided with a hook-like extension for engaging with a slot in said standards, the longer of said portions providing a panel supporting surface, said hook-like extensions of said shorter portion being wide enough to be visible to an installer after a panel has been supported against said longer portion, said second member having two portions of unequal length disposed at substantially a right angle to one another, the shorter of said second member portions being provided with a hook-like extension for engaging with the shorter of said iirst member portions, the longer of said second member portions providing a panel supporting surface opposed to the panel supporting surface of the longer portion of said irst member, said longer second member portion having an angularly disposed extremity facilitating manipulation of said second member into engagement with said first member.

6. In a panel support structure including a pair of substantially vertical elements, and a pair of panels in spaced back-to-back relation between said vertical elements, the improvement comprising means on said elements for maintaining said panels in an upright position, each of said means including a panel holding assembly attached to each of said elements and comprising a panel spacing member and a pair of cooperating retaining members confronting said panel spacing member and separately removable therefrom, said spacing member engaging with its associated vertical element and providing a supporting surface for each of said panels, said retaining members providing a cooperating supporting surface for different ones of said panels when anchored in position with respect' to said spacing member.

7. In a panel support structure including a pairof substantialrvertical elements, and a pair of panels in spaced back-to-back relation between said vertical elements, the improvement 'comprising means on said elements for maintaining said panels in an upright position, each of said means including Ya panel holding assembly attached to each of said elements and comprising a panel spacing member and a pair of cooperating retaining members,said spacing member engaging with its associated vertical element and providing a supporting surface for the inner surfaces of said panels, said retaining members engaging with said spacing member on opposite sides thereof and providing an opposed supporting surface for the corresponding outer surfaces of said panels.

8. In a panel support structure including a pair of substantially vertical elements, and a pair of panels in spaced back-to-back lrelation between said vertical elements, the improvement comprising means on saidV elements for maintaining said panels in an upright position, each of said means comprising a panel spacing member and a pair of cooperating retaining members confronting said panel spacing member and separately removable thereform, said spacing member engaging with its associated vertical element through one of said slots and providing a supporting surface for the inner surfaces of said panels, lsaid retaining members providing a supporting surface for the corresponding outer surfaces of said panels when each of said retaining members is anchored on opposite 'sides of said spacing member.

9. In a panelsupport structure including a pair of spaced substantially vertical hollow elements having slots in the sides thereof, and a pair of panelsgin spaced backto-back relation between said elements, the improvement comprising panel holding assemblies on said vertical elements, each of said assemblies comprising a panel spacing member and a pair of cooperating retainingl members, said spacing member having hook-like extensions for engaging a slot in its associated vertical element and panel supporting portions, each of said retaining members having hook-like portions for engaging with one of the hook-like extensions of said spacing member and a panel supporting portion angularly disposed to said hooklike portion positioned in spaced confronting relation to one of said panel supporting portions of said spacing member. Y Y

Cil

Y Y Y s 10. A double` partition ment to a vertical standard to support a pair of substantially vertical partition panels in spaced back-to-back `relation, said assembly comprising a partition spacing member and a pair of cooperating retaining members, said spacing member having extensions for engaging with said standard and spaced partition supporting portions Yfor supporting the rear sides of the panels, each of said retaining members having spacing member engaging portions and a partition ysupporting portion in spaced confronting relation to one of said partition supporting portions of said spacing member when attached thereto.

Vll. A double partition holding assembly adapted for use in connection with slotted substantially vertical panel or the like supporting elementsV comprising a partition spacing member and a pair of cooperating retaining members, said spacing member having hook-like slot engaging extensions and two partition supporting portions, said spacing member further having guide portions angularly disposed with respect to the partition supporting portions thereof,-each of said retaining members having a hook-like portion for engaging with an extension of said spacing member and a partition supporting cal standard abutting guide portions disposed at substantially a right angle to the partition supporting walls thereof, each of said retaining members having a hooklike portion for engaging with one ofsaid extensions of said spacing member and having a partition supporting portion at substantially a right angle to the hook-like portion thereof and in spaced confronting relation to one of said Vpartition supporting portions of said spacing member when attached thereto, each of the'partition supporting portions of said, retaining members having an angularly disposed extremity facilitating manipulation of said retaining members.

References Cited by the Examiner Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,863,722 6/32 Levene 189--34 2,637,423 5/53 Creegan 189--78 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD W. COOKE, Examiner.

holding assembly for attach-i 

3. A PANEL HOLDING ASSEMBLY ADAPTED FOR USE WITH LATERALLY SLOTTED, SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PANEL SUPPORTING ELEMENTS, THE PANEL HOLDING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A FIRST MEMBER AND A COOPERATING SECOND MEMBER, THE FIRST MEMBER HAVING A LATERALLY PROJECTING HOOK-LIKE SLOT ENGAGING PORTION FOR ENGAGING WITH THE DEFINING EDGES OF A SLOT OF ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS, SAID FIRST MEMBER FURTHER HAVING A VERTICAL PANEL SUPPORTING PORTION FOR SUPPORTING THE INNER SURFACE OF A VERTICAL PANEL EXTENDING BETWEEN A PAIR OF SAID VERTICAL ELEMENTS, SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING A HOOK-LIKE FIRST MEMBER ENGAGING PORTION PROJECTING REARWARDLY AND TRANSVERSELY OF SAID LATERALLY PROJECTING HOOK-LIKE SLOT ENGAGING PORTION OF SAID FIRST MEMBER AND INTERLOCKING WITH SAID HOOK-LIKE PORTION WITH DOWNWARD MOVEMENT THEREOF IN A VERTICAL PLANE TRANSVERSE TO SAID PANEL, SAID SECOND MEMBER FURTHER HAVING 